International Seminar on

Mirza Abdul Qadir Bedil A Sufi Poet, will be organized by

Faculty of Islamic Studies & Social Sciences, Jamia Hamdard in Coordination with

Bedil International Foundation, India

Chief Patron Dr. G. N. Qazi Vice Chancellor Jamia Hamdard Patron Dr. Firdous A. Wani Registrar Jamia Hamdard Director Prof. G. Y. Anjum Dean F/o Islamic Studies Jamia Hamdard Coordinator Prof.Qamar Ghaffar Secretary General Bedil International Foundation New Delhi

● Faculty of Islamic Studies & Social Sciences, Jamia Hamdard University, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi-110062, Mob.: 9868283039

●Allah Diya Cottage, 257/1, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi-110026, India. Tel.: 91-11-26842079 Mob.: 9818099769 E-mail: bedilseminar@gmail.com

Bedil International Seminar

15th to 18th March 2013

Jamia Hamdard University,

New Delhi

In the pursuance of identifying venues and projects for providing educational, cultural

and opportunity exposure with means of acquiring growth of one individual or the

society itself, our Jamia Hamdard University’s Faculty of Islamic Studies & Social

Sciences, New Delhi in partnership with Bedil International Foundation is hosting

the ‘Bedil International Seminar’ in New Delhi by creating an online and offline

event activities to contribute in reviving the era and the poetry of Mirza Abdul Qadir

Bedil, one of the greatest Persian poets who spent his lifetime in India.

A forgotten poet in India but renowned poet in Afghanistan, Tajakistan, Iran, etc and

has been revered by our great Urdu Poets, like Ghalib & Iqbal. It is felt that it’s a

necessity to further bridge the Indian – Afghan Culture globally for the present and

future generation for more understanding and making the writings of Bedil more

accessible in both the countries and the world.

Bedil has been a prolific writer. His collection comprises several selections all steeped

in mysticism and rational philosophy. Bedil’s colossal contribution to the India

Persian poetry is incomparable in quantity and quality. He composed around 99,000

(ninety nine thousand) couplets and so is unique in the history of Persian poetry. He

is called the embodiment of Universalism, harmony and peace. If we were to write the

history of Indian Secularism or liberal traditions, Bedil would occupy a pride of place.

In fact he was a propagator of Indian heritage and its legacy to the world and is

known in the academic circle as an Indologist and to explore Bedil’s ideas through his poetry

is to know the body and soul of India’s cultural legacy because very few people have

understood India better than him. Bedil is indeed the most rational, the most human and the

most secular of medieval Indian poets who wrote in Persian and Tajik. His poetry reflects the

best in the Farsi, Tajik and Dari speaking cultures and the Indian culture. This is a rare

combination and at the same time he is considered the most non-controversial poet.

Starting the first day with inauguration, the 4-day Bedil International Seminar is jointly

organized and hosted by Jamia Hamdard University & Bedil International Foundation from

the 15th to the 18th of March 2013, at JHU Auditorium, Hamdard University, New Delhi, with

the presence of scholars from India as well as Central Asia.

The proposed seminar shall cover the broad topics of Bedil’s contribution to the world of

knowledge and wisdom. Scholars and Thinkers have been requested to cover the following

sub topics in their deliberations.

Mirza Abdul Qadir Bedil is a jewel of the Sufi tradition.

Bedil and India Culture and Civilization

Bedil as representative of composite culture

Bedil is a linkage between India, Central Asia, Afghanistan and Iran in art,

Architecture, music etc. during the 17th – 18th century.

Bedil and Indo – Persian literary tradition.

The manuscripts of the work of Bedil in India and abroad.

Bedil and his contemporaries.

Bedil beyond Indian Frontiers.

Political and cultural relations between India-Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asian

countries during 17th – 18th Century.

Bedil as a Philosopher.

Impact of Bedil on Indian Literature.

Bedil as a prose writer.

Bedil and Sabke – Hindi tradition

Bedil and his Mathnavis, Qasidas and Rubai etc.

Any other topic relating to Bedil

The Bedil International Seminar on the 15th to 18th March 2013 at Jamia Hamdard Auditorium

proposes 50 international and 40 Indian scholars to read their papers on Bedil and his works

over the three presentation days. We are also proposing to create public awareness of Bedil’s

works through two cultural evenings showcasing the rubait’s, nazamas and qawali based on

Bedil’s writings, inviting a select audience of approximately 3,000 people, from general

publics, universities, art/culture celebrities and widest cross-section of Indian media to

attend this event, which shall also double up as official launch of ‘Bedil’s India’ campaign.

The event will stage LIVE cultural performances, specially made concept Film, and

facilitation of Bedil Shinas (Bedil international and national experts) with trophies.

Our co-hosts – Jamia Hamdard

The history of Jamia Hamdard begins with the establishment of a small Unani clinic in the

year 1906 by Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed, one of the well-known practitioners of Unani

System of Medicine of his time. Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed had a vision of making the

practice of Unani Medicine into a scientific discipline so that Unani medicines could be

dispensed in a more efficacious manner to patients. He gave the name "Hamdard" to his

venture which means "sympathy for all and sharing of pain". His illustrious son, Hakeem

Abdul Hameed, carried forward the philosophy and objectives of Hamdard in independent

India. Even at the time of partition of India in 1947, Hakeem Abdul Hameed was dreaming of

setting up a complex of educational institutions which would concentrate on highlighting

the contribution of Islam and Islamic culture to Indian civilization and development of

Unani medicines for curing diseases

Jamia Hamdard was conceived as a seat of higher learning in Unani Medicine, Islamic

Studies, Biosciences, Pharmacy, Nursing and other areas of knowledge by its founder as a

means of fulfilling the objects of the wakf. Over a period of last ten years, Jamia Hamdard has

emerged as an outstanding institution of higher learning with distinct and focused academic

programmes.

For directions to Jamia Hamdard, please click on the link or copy paste in browser:

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